Bar Harbor planners seek more time on lodging rules as business owners back moratorium extension

Members of the Bar Harbor Planning Board said at a May 22 workshop that the current draft of a proposed Graduated Lodging Scale provides a framework but does not yet sufficiently address the retention and creation of dwelling units for year‑round residents.

The Planning Board met in the Town Council Chambers at 2:00 p.m. and reviewed work completed on the lodging proposal since April. Planning Board members present — including Vice‑Chair Ruth Eveland and members Teresa Wagner, Guy Dunphey and John Seavitt — expressed concern that the draft, as written, could fall short of broader community goals related to housing stability and availability. Board members said additional time could produce more balanced and effective provisions for the community as a whole.

Two business owners attending the workshop urged the board to extend the town's existing moratorium on lodging activity, currently set to expire at the end of July, to allow officials time to finalize durable regulations. A business owner said, "this has been discussed for years, and it would be great to finally do this and do it right." The business owners framed an extension as a way to avoid rushed or incomplete rules that could have unintended effects on local housing.

Planning Director Michele Gagnon and Housing & Community Planner Cali Martinez were present for the workshop and took part in the review; the minutes do not record a formal motion or vote to extend the moratorium. The workshop adjourned at 4:00 p.m.

The record of the workshop notes the Board's consensus that more time could help craft provisions that better balance lodging regulation with the needs of year‑round residents; no final action was recorded in the provided minutes and the moratorium remains scheduled to expire at the end of July.